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China's electric vehicle and climate ambitions jeopardized by surging critical material prices

Transportation

China's electric vehicle and climate ambitions jeopardized by surging critical material prices

H. Wang, K. Feng, et al.

Discover how the rising costs of critical battery materials are jeopardizing the future of electric vehicles in China. This study by Hetong Wang and colleagues reveals that without international cooperation to secure supply chains, EV adoption could fall drastically, increasing carbon emissions by 28%.

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Playback language: English
Abstract
The large-scale adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) is crucial for meeting climate commitments, but surging prices of critical battery materials (lithium, cobalt, nickel, manganese) threaten EV affordability and uptake. This study uses an integrated assessment model to analyze the impacts in China. Under a high material cost surge, EVs would account for a significantly lower share of vehicles in 2030 (35%) and 2060 (51%) compared to a baseline scenario (49% and 67%, respectively), leading to a 28% increase in cumulative carbon emissions. Material recycling and battery innovation are long-term solutions, but securing critical material supply chains through international cooperation is urgently needed.
Publisher
Nature Communications
Published On
Mar 04, 2023
Authors
Hetong Wang, Kuishuang Feng, Peng Wang, Yuyao Yang, Laixiang Sun, Fan Yang, Wei-Qiang Chen, Yiyi Zhang, Jiashuo Li
Tags
electric vehicles
battery materials
supply chains
carbon emissions
China
international cooperation

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